Corona virus: Why is there a risk of an increase in alcoholism during lockdown?

Some people may find a bottle of wine more appealing when they are trapped inside their homes, but it can also harm us instead of creating a wave. The epidemic of Covid 19 has pushed the world into a whirlpool of uncertainty. At a time when people are being urged to stay indoors to prevent the epidemic and there is a possibility of some form of lockdown for some time to come, people are becoming accustomed to this 'new routine'. Looking for ways. Meanwhile, there are reports that people are resorting to alcohol to drown their boredom, which has led to an increase in alcohol sales. March saw a 22% increase in alcohol sales in the UK and a 55% increase in the US over the same period. Humor aside, the crisis is one of the main reasons why people are turning to the bottle. People are suffering from a kind of collective anxiety due to uncertainty. People around the world are suffering from this epidemic and many are dying. The pressure on hospitals has increased and people are longing to see their loved ones. People are clearly suffering from fear, frustration and anxiety. Caring for patients, working from home, studying with children at work, living alone, losing a job or the death of a loved one, whatever the reason, some people resort to alcohol to alleviate their grief. But the truth is that this physical and psychological server does not last long. "We have some peace of mind at the moment," says Anne Grace, author of the book. As the amount of alcohol in our blood increases, the speed of things around us slows down, our minds become calmer and we begin to feel better and we feel happier, ”she says. Temporarily, "After 20 to 30 minutes, the body begins to excrete alcohol because it is the body's job to remove harmful substances, and as alcohol begins to leak out of our blood, we begin to feel restless." Affects neurotransmitters or messengers, GABA and glomeruli within the brain. These mothers stimulate our body. Alcohol reduces the production of substances that reduce brain activity and we go into a state of unconsciousness. Alcohol, meanwhile, increases the brain-producing hormone dopamine. As a result, the demand for alcohol would increase. That is why it is very difficult to be content with just one drink. "People drink to relieve their anxiety," said Dr Michael Ferrell, of the Sydney Drug and Alcohol Research Center. But after getting addicted, their anxiety increases. "According to Ferrell," In fact, many people use alcohol as a strategy to deal with social problems. Most of us have a laid back attitude when it comes to painting a picture about ourselves. But the crisis is far greater than it could have been. Due to the lockdown, people were confined to very small places and out of fear of shortage of goods, they started shopping in droves. Ferrell says it gave rise to a "hoarding psyche" and that alcohol was bought along with other necessities. And when it is present in the house, it is more likely to be drunk. This situation is also fueled by the fact that our routine has now changed. Leaving home for work has stopped. The difference between the weekly holiday and the other days of the week has disappeared. And the rules that people made for drinking when and where to drink and how much to drink have all been broken. Stephanie (pseudonym) is a government employee in England. "I consider myself a reasonable and responsible person," she says. I drink a glass or two on the weekends. 'But like many people, she feels helpless in this situation:' After 12 hours of work, my heart longs to quench my thirst and relieve fatigue. Let me have a glass of beer, even though it's Tuesday evening. 'These rules are very personal, such as drinking on the weekends, not drinking alone or at home. Annie says it's not hard to convince herself. "We can compare ourselves to people who drink more than we do. Social media also has a big hand in this. An example of this is that people look around and find justification for what they are doing is normal. "When a part of our brain is saying that we feel better after drinking alcohol and then precedes similar posts from friends on Facebook, the justification for drinking more automatically becomes available even if it is not beneficial. Yes. '

Instead, she insists, people should honestly review their motivations for alcoholism and think about how it really affects them. Their own experience is a witness to their inner turmoil. After the birth of her second child, she became depressed and sought treatment for alcoholism. "Stress increased the demand for alcohol and alcohol increased stress," she says. My ability to think was paralyzed. The more I drank, the more pressure I felt, which made me drink more. Will be. That is, alcohol weakens the body's immune system and prevents it from fighting disease properly. Recent research in Italy has shown that if overeating Even in moderation, the risk of contracting Covid 19 is high and alcohol can increase the risk of disease. "Alcohol increases the risk of viral infections and the combination of bacteria and viruses in the respiratory system complicates the disease," said Gianni Testino, a member of the research team.

According to him, alcohol raises the level of S2 protein and the corona virus uses the same protein to enter the body. Concerns about alcoholism and the fact that alcohol protects against Cove 19 forced the World Health Organization to clarify, saying, 'Avoid alcohol so that your immune system is not weakened and you are protected from others Don't be a threat. "Excessive drinking creates a condition in the respiratory system that leads to a more complex form of code 19."  The Royal College of Psychiatrists in London also warns that 14 units or more than six points of wine a week can be dangerous, especially when you are trying to distract yourself from the news of Code 19.

Intoxication in a confined space is also not good. Farrell says that in addition to alcohol-related incidents, the likelihood of conflict is even higher: "If someone's fuse is already blown and the relationship is tangled, alcohol acts as fuel to the fire."  The United Nations has warned of an increase in domestic violence during the quarantine period. Calls to report domestic violence in China have tripled in the past year. The number of such calls doubled in Lebanon and Malaysia. Deaths from domestic violence have been reported in Britain, France, Spain, Japan, Italy and other countries. It is feared that the effects of this change in drinking habits will be felt in the future. "The immediate social change will be that our mood will become unstable," Ferrell said. The way our economic, social, psychological and physical lives are affected can lead to a habit of drinking that will not be easy to quit. Some countries, such as South Africa, India, Sri Lanka and Greenland, even banned the sale of alcohol during the lockdown. But doing so created new problems. People addicted to alcohol developed symptoms such as tremors, convulsions, and delirium, and some people even died because of them. In India, some people have committed suicide due to lack of alcohol, while many have died after drinking poisonous alcohol and other thinners. But even the statistics of where alcohol is available do not paint the whole picture.

British researcher Pat Parker is researching the relationship between alcohol and depression. He says research has shown that alcohol consumption has decreased in one-third, but has increased in one in five. He says this is a cause for concern because "this means that the sudden increase in alcohol sales in the UK is due to the relatively low number of people who have started drinking more alcohol." Parker's research also found that people who are more likely to be addicted to alcohol may be more likely to suffer from stress. "People who suffer from this addiction or who have gotten rid of it recently or in the past are more worried because they may get it again," he said.